Tribe’s Terry Francona is AL Manager of the Year

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 15: Terry Francona #17 of the Cleveland Indians looks on from the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field on October 15, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Tribe’s Terry Francona is AL Manager of the Year

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 15: Terry Francona #17 of the Cleveland Indians looks on from the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field on October 15, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK — Terry Francona of the Cleveland Indians has won the American League Manager of the Year award after guiding a team beset by injuries and drug suspensions to a surprising first-place finish.

The Indians almost claimed their first World Series title since 1948 before the Chicago Cubs overcame a 3-1 deficit.

Voting by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was completed at the end of the regular season. The award was announced Tuesday on MLB Network.

Francona got 22 of the 30 first-place votes. Texas’ Jeff Banister, who won last year, was second and Baltimore’s Buck Showalter was third.

The 57-year-old Francona was honored for the second time. He was the AL Manager of the Year in 2013 after his first season with Cleveland.